1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to managing network communications, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling the communication of media information over an integrated services network.
2. Background of the Related Art
In recent years, remarkable technical advances have been made in the areas of wireless- and Internet-related communications. One application of this technology focuses on providing bi-directional video conferencing (e.g., video phone) services over wired and wireless networks. In order to provide real-time streaming video of reasonable quality, a transmission bandwidth of at least 64 K bits per second is required. This is approximately eight times the bandwidth required for voice communications, even if a highly efficient compression scheme is implemented.
One of the most significant stumbling blocks to providing high-quality multimedia video-conferencing services is insufficient transmission bandwidth. Also, there is great doubt as to whether two-way video phone services will be of interest to the public, even if these services can be provided at a reasonably affordable price. To elicit public interest and therefore to build a strong market for the video conferencing industry, the Inventor of the present invention has realized that social interactions between callers must be encouraged without sacrificing valuable transmission bandwidth. Taking this approach will likely increase minutes of usage and thus generate revenue sufficient to ensure the continued advancement of the telecommunications industry.
The Inventor of the present invention has also recognized that next-generation communications systems must provide a variety of multimedia services including real-time streaming video and video-clip swapping, while simultaneously conserving or reducing transmission bandwidth requirements and other network resources. Present communications systems do note adequately provide these services, and the services they do provide are implemented in an efficient manner. A need therefore exists for a system and method for providing enhanced multimedia services to the public which at the same time conserves or reduces network resources.
Further, it is noted that currently existing telecommunications systems cannot deal with abstractions and emotions of callers that are natural to every day interaction. For example, the majority of callers know one another. They know their characters, physical appearances, and other attributes through past shared experiences and knowledge. Parties also often have knowledge of other parties' mobile terminals, including the manner in which they are equipped and their ability to support multimedia and other services. Existing communications systems do not use the prior knowledge and experience of callers as a basis for reducing transmission bandwidth in providing multimedia services in a communications system. These systems also do not use prior knowledge and experience as a basis for reducing the costs associated with providing multimedia communications.
Further, it is noted that conventional communications systems are required to transmit multimedia information over a network every time these services are desired to be displayed on a receiving terminal. This frustrates attempts to conserve transmission bandwidth and adversely affects the quality of communications of other users.
There is, therefore, an additional need for a system and method that manages communication of multimedia services more efficiently than conventional systems, by ensuring that transmission bandwidth and other network resources are not used every time one terminal desires another terminal to display media information. There is also a need to provide a system and method of this type in a cost-effective manner.